Greetings from the Director

The International Research Center for Japanese Studies (Nichibunken) observed its twentieth anniversary in the spring of 2007, and we entered with renewed dedication into a new phase in the development of research on Japan. On the occasion of my assumption of the position of Director-General, as I extend a warm greeting to all, I would like to say a few words about my vision of the basic principles of this research institute, and to ask for your understanding and cooperation.

The principal tasks of Nichibunken and the scholars affiliated with it are of three broad types. One, the business of scholars as individuals, it goes without saying, is to conduct their own research. Two, as an institute and as individuals, it is our job to provide assistance to researchers overseas in their studies of Japan. Three, it is our job to advance scholarship through interdisciplinary and international team research projects that we carry out together with scholars from within and from outside Japan. Our work occasionally requires more time and energy than what goes on at other universities and research institutes, but if we think of it as a link in the chain of long-term cultural and scholarly exchange involving cooperation with overseas researchers of Japanese studies, we cannot fail to have a strong appreciation of the importance of Nichibunken’s mission. I see the making of an environment in which it is easy for Nichibunken faculty and staff to carry out their activities as my primary duty as Director-General.

As we go about our tasks, it is of the utmost importance that we plan our work carefully, appraise the quality of that work unsparingly, and verify our own results. To use an old-fashioned expression, the purpose of a research institute, as a place for scholarly research, is “the pursuit of truth.” Accordingly, needless to say, what is required above all other things in the people who work there is intellectual integrity. I want once again to encourage all our researchers to keep this in mind as they engage in the pursuit of truth in the form of solid, unpretentious scholarship.

Universities and research institutes all around the world today are being swept by waves of intense competition and severe evaluation. At the moment, the measures of engineering and the natural sciences are quite often being used as the standards of competition and evaluation. In order to ensure continued healthy development of studies such as those we carry out at Nichibunken—work in the humanities and social sciences or in those areas that are on the boundaries of those fields and the natural sciences—one of the huge tasks that we face is determining how to respond to these changes in the environment for research.

In recent years, in terms of budgets, Japanese studies overseas have been put into a rather difficult situation, in part because Chinese studies and Islamic studies have expanded rapidly. In such circumstances it has become all the more necessary for us to strengthen and deepen our research cooperation relationships with Japanese studies specialists in various countries, who are fighting a lone battle. If we take it as given that increasing the number of Japan specialists is very difficult, the vital question becomes how to maintain and improve quality, and we have to give thought to how Nichibunken can contribute to the nurturing of promising young Japanese studies scholars overseas.

All of us at Nichibunken look forward to continuing to work hard to make this an “open” place for scholarship on Japan, both domestically as one of Japan’s inter-university research institutes and internationally as an institution for research cooperation with Japanese studies scholars overseas. Already we have made one circuit of the globe with the annual international symposia we have co-organized with institutions abroad since 1995, and our collection of valuable resources for research on Japan attracts many scholars and graduate students from all over the world to this Center. A great many people have collaborated with us in research activities at Nichibunken, and in order to inform a wider public of the nature of our activities and our accomplishments, we carry on a lively set of public events including a periodic series of lectures and an annual visitation day.

I ask sincerely that you constantly help us to improve our Center—with both warm feelings and your dispassionate advice.

Inoki Takenori, Director-General
April 2008